Slot feeding mechanism for check-controlled machines.



No, 731,462. PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

E. E. JONES. SLOT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CHECK CONTROLLED MACHINES.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 5, 1902.

. 1W MODEL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. Fig. 2.

Witnesses.

PATENTED JUNE 23, 1903.

E. E. JONES. SLOT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CHECK CONTROLLED MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

:Eil! 11. a .lkfl q wuil mlolwmwn !$I-% Ii Y 7 Inventor.

' ITED AT Patented June 23, 1903.

are FFICEt SLOT FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CHECK-CONTROLLED MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 731,462, dated June 23, 1903.

Application filed July 5, 1902. Serial No. 114,333. (No model.) 7

To coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOCH E. JoNEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Tonawanda, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Slot Feeding Mechanism for Check-Controlled Machines, of

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred adaptation of the invention is shown.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the slot feeding mechanism with the pivotal feeding device in vertical position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with the pivotal feeding device in an inclined position. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line b b, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached rear view of the upper or pivotal feeding device. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detached front view of the lower fixed feeding device. Fig. 7 is a detached front view of a supporting-plate, showing the magnet attached thereto. Fig. 8 is an end view of the lower fixed feeding device. Fig. 9 is a side view of the same. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detached view of the upper or pivotal feeding device.

In referring to the drawings for the details of construction like numerals designate like parts.

1 represents a fragment of one of the walls of the inclosing case to which the slot feedin g mechanism is attached; but, however, the mechanism may be attached to or supported from any other suitable wall, plate, or the like. A magnet 2, which is preferably of the usual U shape, is attached to the wall 1, with its poles at its lower extremity. An upper feeding device 3 is pivoted to the wall by a pivot 4, which passes through the wall at a point within the upper bend of the U-mag- Q net 2. The feeding device 3 has a central longitudinal slot 5, which is of narrow elongated character to permit the passage edge- Wise of a coin, check, or like article. The lower portion of the feeding device is cut away on the right-hand edge at 6 to afford a lateral passage for a coin, check, or other article and at the left-hand edge at 7 to permit the lower end of the feeding device to swing over the projecting portion of a stoppin 8. The inner'wall of the slot 5 is also cut away entirely across near the lower end of the feeding device, as shown at 9, to provide a space for the passage of the stop-pin 8, which projects from between the poles of the magnet, and to permit any iron washer or the like passing through to come in contact with the poles of the magnet which are in proximity to the cut-away portion. The lower end of the slot is closed by a shoulder 10, which inclines diagonally downward from the left to the right. The lower end 11 of the feeding device is inclined in the opposite direction to the shoulder 10that is, downwardly from the right to the leftand forms a means for forcing the coins through the lower fixed slotted feeding device. A fiat spring-strip 12 extends down partially over the right-hand opening 6 and serves to retain the coin or check in place in the lower portion of the slot with a spring tension. The spring-strip 12 is comparatively weak, having only sufficient strength to retain the coin or check against rolling out of the opening on the inclined shoulder 10. A second and longer fiat spring 13 is attached at its upper end to the exterior of the outer wall of the feeding device 3 near the top thereof and extends diagonally downward and to the right, with its lower end projecting beyond the lower end of the feeding device. The lower end 14 of the fiat spring 13 is bent horizontally inward and forms a hook which is adapted to catch in the central opening in a washer passed through the slot or against the inner edge of an iron slug caught by the magnet and throw the same out as the pivotal feeding device returns to its vertical position from an inclined position to which it has been tilted. The spring 13 is provided with an intermediate outwardly-extending lug or enlargement15,whichis bent orinclined slightly at an angle and is adapt-ed to strike on the head of a pin 16, and thus force the lower end of the spring 13 outward away from the wall 1 to release the washer, slug, or like article caught by the hook.

The lower fixed feeding device 17 is provided with a central vertical elongated slot 18 for the passage of coins, checks, or the like and is arranged in vertical alinement with the pivotal feeding device when said pivotal feeding device is in its vertical position. An extension 19 projects from the right-hand outer corner of the top of the outer wall of the fixed device and serves to direct the coin or check into the slot in the fixed device.

A spring is attached to the lower extremity of the fixed feeding device and is preferably formed as shown in the drawings, in which a strip of spring material 20 is fastened to the right-hand side edge of the fixed feeding device and has its lower end 21 bent at substantially a right angle and extended inwardly for a short distance.

The swinging movement of the pivotal feeding device on its pivot in either direction is limited by the stop-pins 22 and 23, against which it strikes, and said feeding device is returned to its vertical position by a spring 24, which is attached at its respective ends to the feeding device and the stop-pin 22.

A hopper 25 or like device is arranged beneath the fixed feeding device which controls any suitable vending mechanism.

A series of pins arranged in two parallel rows serves as an upper conveyer 26 for the coins or checks. These rows are preferably curved to prevent the introduction or passage of a wire through the slots for operating the hopper.

The lower or fixed feeding device is preferably provided with a Vertical slot 27 of lesser width than the slot 18, which extends centrally and longitudinally through the outer wall thereof. The coins or checks can be viewed through this slot 27,which thus forms a sight-feed to prevent the operation of the machine by bad money or circular disks of a character not capable of being attracted by the magnet or caught by the spring-hook.

The pivotal feeding device is swung or tilted by a push-bar 28, the inner end of which connects to the upper end of a pivotal lever 29. The lower end of the lever 29 is pivoted to one end of a link 30, and the opposite extremity of the link has pivotal attachment to a pin 31, extending from the pivotal feeding device 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: A coin or check being dropped into the space between the rows of pins 26, it passes through said space and into the upper feeding device 3, being stopped in the lower portion of the slot 5 by the shoulder 10. The upper or pivotal feeding device 3 is now swung ortilted by the push-bar 28 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. The coin or check strikes against the stop-pin 8 and rolls down on the incline of the shoulder 10 into the slot in the lower or fixed feeding device. The slot in the lower feeding device is of sufficient length to hold two coins or the like and about half of another coin or like object, so that the upper portion of the top coin will project above the top when dropped into the slot of the lower feeding device. Now when the pivotal feeding device swings back from an inclined position to a vertical position its inclined lower edge strikes the projecting top of the upper coin and forces it down into the slot, which in turn forces the lower coin through the lower end of the fixed feeding device and drops it upon the hopper to operate the vending mechanisms. If a perforated washer is passed through the upper slot 5, it is caught by the spring-hook,which engages or springs into the perforation in the washer as the pivotal feeding device is swung out of its vertical position and throws it clear of the mechanism as the pivoted feeding device swings back into vertical position. The spring-hook is moved from the wall 1 as the feeding device swings back into vertical position, as before described, and thus frees itself from the washer. When an attempt is made to pass an iron slug through the machine, it is caught by the attraction of the magnet and removed by the spring-hook.

It is obvious that this improved slot feeding mechanism can be adapted to most of the well-known styles of check-controlled vending-machine.

I claim as my invention 1. In an improved slot feeding mechanism for vending-machines, a pivotal slot feeding device having its inner wall partially cut away, a fixed slotted feeding device beneath the pivotal feeding device, a magnet back of the pivotal feeding device with its poles in proximity to the cut-away portion of the inner wall, a spring-hook for removing washers or slugs and means for tilting the pivotal feeding device.

2. In an improved slot feeding mechanism for vending-machines, a pivotal slotted feeding device the edges and inner wall of which are cut away near its lower end, a stop-pin projecting into the space formed by said cutaway portion, a shoulder crossing the lower extremity of the slot in the feeding device, means for actuating the pivotal feeding device and a fixed feeding device beneath the pivotal feeding device, substantially as set forth.

3. In an improved slot feeding mechanism for vending-machines, the combination with the lower fixed feeding device, of an upper pivotal feeding device having a lower inclined edge adapted to force the coins or other objects through the lower feeding device and YOU a lateral passage for coins or the like and means forv actuating the pivotal feeding dev1ce.

4C. In an improved slot feeding mechanism for vending-machines, a magnet, a lower fixed feeding device, an upper pivotal slotted feeding device having its inner wall cut away to expose the magnet, a lateral passage for coins or the like, and a shoulder at the lower end of the slot adapted to force coins or the like through the lower feeding device, and means for actuating the pivotal feeding device, substantially as set forth.

' 5. In an improved slot feeding mechanism for vending-machines, the combination with a pivotal slotted feeding device having a lateral outlet, of a fixed feeding device beneath the pivotal feeding device, means for swinging the pivotal feeding device, means whereby the swinging movement of the pivotal feeding device in one direction will force the coins or the like out through the lateral outlet of the pivotal feeding device and the swinging movement of the pivotal feeding device in another direction will force coins or the like tially as set forth.

vertical position, a fixed feeding device be' neath the pivotal feeding device adapted to contain a plurality of coins or the like, a spring at the lower end of said fixed feeding device, means for swinging the pivotal feeding device and means whereby the swinging movement of the pivotal feeding devicein one direction will cause the inclined shoulder to force the coins out of the fixed feeding device.

ENOCH E. JONES.

Witnesses:

L. M. SANGSTER, C. J. SANGSTER. 

